Our Promise
by Arazora
Summary: AU. Gokudera has gone back to Italy for some reason. Yamamoto and Tsuna set out to bring him back. What actually happens is most definitely not what anybody expects. 8059, some minor 59OC, as well as other pairings yet to be decided. ON HIATUS!
1. Prologue

**A/N: 8059! Don't like it, don't read it! If you do like it, please review it! The more reviews, the more compelled I will feel to continue!!**

**~ The 'Gokudera' Department of Arazora**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own KHR or any of the canon characters. I, however, do own any OC's that may appear and this particular plot.**

**Prologue**

"What do you mean, he's gone?" the surprise and the hurt was evident in the voice of the tall, raven haired teenager, his dark eyes widening with horror. His companion, a shorter boy with a large head of light brown hair, just sighed softly.

"Gokudera-kun called me last night," Sawada Tsunayoshi whispered, his own voice disappearing at the end of that phrase.

Yamamoto Takeshi leaned against the wall, all the life seeming to leave his body. "N-No…It can't be…" Yamamoto whispered, clutching at his face, biting his lip furiously. "He wouldn't leave without telling me…"

"It was probably something really important," Tsuna seemed on the verge of crying himself, as he tried to console his usually happy friend. It felt as if he was missing a limb. Gokudera Hayato had just upped and left the previous night, after calling Tsuna.

Even now, Tsuna could remember, very clearly, the "conversation" that had occurred between the two of them just the previous night.

_The phone rang; shrill and loud in the silence after Reborn set off an explosive because Tsuna had gotten the wrong answer. Glad to escape his tutor, Tsuna ran down the stairs, tripping over his own feet in the process and crashing onto the wooden landing._

_The phone rang again and Tsuna scrambled to his feet, beating Lambo to the phone. The Bovino assassin pouted, his eyes threatening to tear over._

_"Lambo-kun, would you like ice cream?" Tsuna's mother appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, holding a carton of the stuff. Immediately, Lambo's expression changed to one of utter delight._

_He dashed off, followed closely by I-Pin, who was trying to correct his behavior._

_Shaking his head, Tsuna answered the phone just as it rang once again. "Moshi-moshi," he said into the receiver._

_It was quiet on the other side for a little bit and Tsuna was beginning to think it was a telemarketer when the caller finally spoke up. "Juudaime…I'm leaving tomorrow, for Italy. Something very important has come up and I might not come back alive. Please don't ever forget me and forgive me for leaving you so suddenly."_

Click.

_Tsuna stared at the phone, as the dial tone began to play._

_Had he heard correctly?_

_Was his Storm Guardian playing a joke on him?_

_Tsuna ran to the door, pulling on his shoes as he opened the door. He ran down to the street, pausing at the edge of the road before he realized he didn't know where Gokudera-kun even lived. "All this time and you never figured out where he lives!" Tsuna berated himself, trying to keep back tears._

In the present, Tsuna ran a hand across his face, wiping away the tears that had formed at the corner of his eyes. Yamamoto's face was blank, hardening.

"That bastard," Yamamoto growled, clenching his hands into fists. "He didn't even bother to _call _me to tell me he was leaving."

The baseball player was shaking his head slowly, grinding his teeth together. Tsuna began to look worried. He didn't know how well Yamamoto could handle being hurt like this.

But despite the emptiness he felt at Gokudera's leaving, he could also feel a slowly flickering flame of anger burning in his stomach. How could he just leave like this?

"Tsuna," a very familiar, child-like voice rang out in the empty hallway.

"Ah, Reborn!" the brown-haired teenager jumped.

"If you miss Gokudera this much," Reborn pulled his hat over his eyes, his expression as unreadable as always. "Then go follow him."

Reborn held out two pieces of paper.

Yamamoto and Tsuna looked down at the slips blankly.

"They're airplane tickets," Reborn explained. "Use them to get to Italy. Find Gokudera and help him with whatever it is he has to do there. Then bring him back."

Tsuna didn't bother to question his tutor's motives but still, he hesitated. Yamamoto's hand snaked out and snatched one of the tickets from Reborn.

"Arigatou, Reborn-san," Yamamoto's voice was soft, the shadows obscuring his face. "I won't let you down."

"Go with him, Tsuna," Reborn ordered.

Tsuna still hesitated.

"As boss, Tsuna, would you let your own right-hand man go off on a dangerous mission by himself?" Something in Reborn's voice seemed to help Tsuna make up his mind. He took the ticket, staring down at the departure time.

"We have two hours to get to the airport. I told Mama that I was taking you on a purely educational trip to Italy. Now go home and get ready." Reborn ordered. Tsuna left, looking back over his shoulder at Yamamoto and Reborn.

"Reborn-san…" Yamamoto's voice was still soft, yet strained at the same time.

Reborn didn't say anything, just nodded his head.

Yamamoto smiled sadly before following Tsuna.

-------x

"Flight 8059 is now boarding from Gate 27," the announcer over the loudspeaker said above the din of the airport. "All passengers please report to Gate 27. You will depart soon."

Yamamoto and Tsuna were already in their gate, Yamamoto shifting his weight from foot to foot, his expression anxious. Tsuna just looked more like a nervous wreck. He had never been on a plane before.

They were finally allowed to board and they did so. They had been booked into the coach section of the plane and they spent just a few moments gawking at their surroundings before the people behind them coughed impatiently, forcing them forward.

"Here are our seats," Tsuna said, stopping next to two seats by the window. The plane wasn't all that big, because they would be making a change to a bigger plane when they stopped in China two hours from the present time.

Yamamoto slid into his seat, placing his head in his hands. Tsuna sat down next to his friend, unsure how to comfort him. He kept expecting the Storm Guardian to pop out of nowhere and begin shouting at Yamamoto for no particular reason. Even after the two of them became closer than before, this had still happened on a regular basis.

Fifteen minutes later, everybody had boarded the plane and they were preparing for take-off.

Yamamoto hadn't moved from the position he had assumed when he got on the plane, but Tsuna was holding onto the handlebars next to his chair for dear life as the plane roared down the lane. "We're going to die, we're going to die," he squeaked.

Once again, it felt weird not to have Gokudera say something in that rough, although comforting way, he had.

Neither Yamamoto nor Tsuna talked much for the entire flight. Yamamoto didn't seem to be in the mood and Tsuna was too scared to say anything, or move much, in case the plane malfunctioned and crashed or something along those lines.

When they landed at Pudong Airport in Shanghai, they had to get on their other plane almost immediately. They ran through the massive airport, searching for their gate. Yamamoto seemed to have regained some of his old spirit by the time night descended. The plane they boarded now was a lot bigger than the one they had taken across the sea from Japan to China.

It all seemed a little surreal to Tsuna as he boarded this new plane. He had just gone out of the country, which he had never done before, and it wasn't even going to be a fun trip. "Well, who says it can't be fun," he tried to reassure himself. "Gokudera-kun will listen to us. He'll come back. And…we'll be able to see Italy!"

"Talking to yourself again, Tsuna?" Yamamoto tried to laugh, but it came out all wrong.

Tsuna forced himself to smile. _No use in making Yamamoto worry anymore than he already is._ He told himself, as he scratched the back of his head.

Once again, the take-off was nerve-wracking for Tsuna. The sky outside had darkened, so that the plane was now flying among the stars. Tsuna pressed his nose against the window, staring down at the bright twinkling lights of Shanghai.

"Wow…" he murmured.

Dinner was served on the plane, stuff like pizza and beef noodles that tasted all weird. Neither Yamamoto nor Tsuna ate much. They had both seemed to sink into a state where they knew what they were doing and nothing else really mattered anymore.

Sleep didn't come easily for either of them and it was a long time before Tsuna finally managed to doze off. When he woke up, the sun was shining brightly through the window and the plane was circling above the airport in Rome.

"We're finally in Italy," he whispered.

Yamamoto turned his head, dark bags visible underneath his eyes.

"Did you sleep at all?" Tsuna asked, his voice worried.

Yamamoto shook his head, smiling slightly. "I couldn't sleep." He confessed. "I spent the entire trip thinking of what I'm going to say to Gokudera when I see him again." He laughed, this laugh still not his usual cheery laugh.

After they got their luggage from the carousal, they made their way to the main lobby. They both stopped in the entrance, seeing a head of very, very familiar light silver hair and a face with very, very familiar features.

Gokudera Hayato fell to the floor, pounding his head against the tile. "Juudaime, I'm so sorry for leaving you like that!" he cried.

"G-Gokudera-kun!" the brunette knelt down, trying to stop Gokudera. "Please stop, people are looking!" he whispered.

"Ah, sorry," Gokudera sat up, resting his hands on his thighs. He didn't look at Yamamoto, just kept his eyes on Tsuna's face. "When Reborn-san called and told me that you two were coming here, I was so shocked! I never intended to make you guys worry so much!" he said quickly, before Tsuna could butt in. "But what I have to do here is very important and I cannot leave immediately," his face became serious and that was when Tsuna realized Gokudera wasn't wearing his usual Western clothes.

No, instead, Gokudera was wearing a suit. Complete with red dress shirt.

"I-I understand, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna stammered. "No need to rush."

"There's something else, Juudaime," Gokudera lowered his voice. "But I'm going to have to tell you in the car. Please, come this way," he stood up, gesturing with his hands to the front doors. Yamamoto trailed behind Gokudera and Tsuna, still unsure how he was going to react.

He was feeling two different emotions at the same time. One, he wanted to kill Gokudera for making him worry, but on the other hand, he also wanted to just take Gokudera in his arms and never let him go.

Gokudera turned his head, seeing Yamamoto's face. His lips twitched ever so slightly as he reached out with his hand, brushing against the back of Yamamoto's. The tall Japanese teenager looked slightly surprised, but he just laughed, feeling his heart relax. He was where he was supposed to be.

**Preview at the next chapter!**

_**Chapter 1: Us vs. Them**_

"_Wait, what?" Tsuna blinked._

_"Juudaime, the Vongola are up against some serious enemies this time," Gokudera explained for the umpteenth time. "The Moretti family isn't like anything we've ever faced before." He clenched his hands into fists. "They killed my father…" he said after a long pause._


	2. Us vs Them

"_Dialogue" _= Italian

"Dialogue" = Japanese

Basically, italicized dialogue is Italian and non-italicized dialogue is Japanese.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own KHR.

Warning: TYL ARC SPOILERS!!!

**Chapter 1: Us vs. Them**

Tsuna pressed his nose against the tinted window of the limousine, staring out at the massive mansion that loomed in the distance. The black vehicle pulled into the cul-de-sac, stopping at the front door. The chauffeur pulled open his door and he stepped out, a little surprised to see Gokudera and Yamamoto already on the front steps.

"Welcome to Vongola Mansion, Juudaime," Gokudera smiled, sweeping with his hand to introduce the massive building.

Two maids appeared in the doorway, bowing and saying something in quiet Italian. Gokudera replied, seeming perfectly at ease on the front steps of the house.

Tsuna didn't have time to admire the gorgeous Italian architecture before he was hurried inside by Gokudera and Yamamoto. "I'll show you to your rooms first," Gokudera announced. "There'll be a briefing at eight o'clock tonight, so you have plenty of time to get settled before you learn about everything that's going on."

Gokudera paused, looking up the grand staircase. "Please stay in your room for the time being, Juudaime," he said. "If you get lost, it will be very hard to find you."

Suddenly, a blur streaked in front of Tsuna, aiming for the teenager standing at Tsuna's left. Gokudera stepped to the side and the blur, which turned out to be a girl, tripped over her own feet and fell at Yamamoto's. He looked down at her, shock written all over his face.

Gokudera sighed, looking at the girl with a weary expression on his face. "_Rosalina,_" he said. The girl looked at Gokudera, her pale blue-gray eyes wide on her face. Her hair was pulled into a side ponytail that fell over her shoulder, the ends curling into lazy ringlets, with side bangs that covered half of her right eye. Her hair had been dyed an unnatural red. "_Can't you see I'm busy?_"

Tsuna and Yamamoto now both wore confused expressions. Gokudera, after all, was speaking a language completely unknown to both of them.

Rosalina pouted, pulling her knees under her until she was kneeling. She crossed her arms across her chest.

Tsuna blinked. Suddenly, he knew why this girl looked so familiar. She was wearing clothes in Gokudera's style. Rosalina got to her feet, seeing that her pout had not affected the Storm Guardian whatsoever.

"_You're always ignoring me!_" Rosalina began to cry as she ran away, wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her shirt.

Gokudera sighed, looking back at Tsuna apologetically. "Sorry about that, Juudaime," he said. "That was Rosalina Leveque. She and I were…betrothed."

There was no mistaking the sudden intake of breath from Yamamoto.

"But I broke it off," he looked over Tsuna's shoulder at Yamamoto as he said those words. "I couldn't marry her because…" his gaze seemed to soften.

"Never mind that now," Tsuna said, attempting to change the subject. "You were showing me to my room?"

--------x

Gokudera and Yamamoto were standing in the courtyard behind the house, after showing Tsuna to his room. Gokudera was looking at Yamamoto, his expression rather unreadable as he studied the Rain Guardian.

Yamamoto turned to the Storm Guardian, smiling broadly before hugging Gokudera tightly. "I missed you, Gokudera," Yamamoto whispered in Gokudera's ear. The silver haired teenager chuckled quietly before returning the hug.

The two of them sat down on the steps leading down to a beautiful garden, Gokudera leaning on Yamamoto's shoulder, their hands interconnected as they watched the sun begin to set. It had been three weeks since that fateful day in the music room but their relationship had yet to go beyond the occasional kiss, the hand-holding and the frequent hug.

Not that it bothered either of them. They didn't want to rush things, after all.

"So…do I have to wait until eight o'clock to learn about everything?" Yamamoto asked playfully, reaching his free hand to brush back some of Gokudera's silver locks from his face.

Gokudera's expression seemed to darken. "Yes," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Yamamoto, but it's what the Ninth has ordered."

Yamamoto didn't say anything else, but the look on his face told Gokudera that Yamamoto understood. "Sometimes I wonder why I chose you," Gokudera said while rolling his eyes after a few long moments of content silence.

"It's because I'm awesome, right Gokudera?" Yamamoto laughed.

Gokudera shook his head slowly, but he didn't move from where he was sitting.

"_Master Hayato_," a maid appeared in the doorway, beckoning for Gokudera with her finger. Gokudera flashed Yamamoto an apologetic look.

"I'll be back," he said. "_Ti amo_, Yamamoto. Don't ever forget it."

Leaving Yamamoto to figure out what he said, with a self-satisfied smirk on his face, Gokudera approached the maid. "_What is it?_" he asked, returning to his usual, impatient self.

"_The Boss is looking for you,_" the maid answered.

Gokudera nodded, before vanishing down the hallway.

--------x

Eight o'clock came and went and Tsuna began to get worried. Gokudera-kun had yet to show up and Yamamoto didn't seem to be present either. He remembered his right-hand man's words of caution but the curiosity was killing him.

He was sitting on the bed, his knees drawn to his chest, his eyes following the moving pictures on the television screen, although he couldn't understand the language.

Finally, at eight thirty, Gokudera knocked on Tsuna's door. "Juudaime!" his voice floated into the room, above the noise of the television.

Tsuna shut off the TV, jumping off the bed at the same moment, managing to trip over his own feet as he raced towards the door.

"I'm guessing we're heading over for the briefing now," Tsuna said rather breathlessly. Gokudera nodded and Tsuna noticed that the silver haired teenager was looking rather distracted. He led Tsuna down the hallway until they stood in front of a giant ceiling to floor painting of the Vongola Primo.

Gokudera pressed his hand to the painting and it slid open, revealing a wide and airy tunnel. "Where's Yamamoto?" Tsuna asked as they walked down the tunnel. The painting had slid back into place, but there were lights on the sides of the tunnel so the two of them weren't walking in complete darkness.

"He's already there," Gokudera said and his voice was rather emotionless. They then arrived in large room, a large round table with the Vongola family crest emblazoned on it in the room. The Ninth Vongola boss was already seated and Yamamoto was seated next to him. Gokudera sat down on his other side and so Tsuna had to take the only chair left.

The Ninth Vongola boss began to talk. "I asked Hayato to come back to Italy to deal with a very severe problem we have going on here in Italy," he began. "A particular Mafia family, the Moretti family, has been growing very distrustful of the Vongola family for quite a while. Last week, they even attacked several of our members as they walked the streets."

He allowed a few moments for this information to sink in.

Immediately, Tsuna leapt to his feet.

"Why?" he demanded.

"The Moretti family claims that we assassinated their Seventh boss." The Kyuudaime said.

"But that's not true," Gokudera immediately added. Yamamoto remained silent. He had already been briefed while waiting for Gokudera and Tsuna to arrive.

"The Seventh Moretti boss died in an accident," Gokudera continued, clenching his hands into fists as he spoke through his teeth. "But the Moretti family doesn't believe that. So they've come for revenge. They sent us a message last week." He pulled a piece of paper from a pocket on the inside of his suit jacket.

He unfolded it, smoothing it out before clearing his throat. "The letter is in Italian, so give me a few moments while I translate it for you, Juudaime," Gokudera said.

Tsuna just nodded and the room was silent for a few moments before Gokudera spoke again.

"'Vongola family,'" he said. "'It has come to our attention that we have yet to avenge the death of our Seventh Generation boss. Because it was your people that killed him, you have exactly seven days to either surrender your Tenth Generation Boss or die.'"

It was quiet once again, but this time, the silence was so thick a knife would probably have a hard time slicing through it.

"Wait, what?" Tsuna blinked.

"Juudaime," Gokudera said. His voice was slightly hoarse. "We are up against an enemy like none other before. The Moretti family is second possibly only to Byakuran and the Millefiore." He said. He didn't let this information sink in before continuing. "Now you see why I had to come back so suddenly."

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Tsuna asked quietly, strangely calm as he nodded at the piece of paper.

"I didn't want to worry you, Juudaime," Gokudera said.

Yamamoto looked at Gokudera, a strange, pained expression on his face. _Of all the things to be worried about, and he's worried about Tsuna._ Yamamoto thought, as a wry smile tugged at his lips. This was what had intrigued Yamamoto so much about Gokudera in his first place. Something about Gokudera's lack of care for himself made Yamamoto love him just that much more.

"I will give you a few moments alone so that you may share your news with him, Hayato," the Ninth Vongola Boss got up from the table and left.

Yamamoto slipped into the seat next to Gokudera, reaching under the table to hold Gokudera's hand. The silver haired teenager looked at Yamamoto with slight surprise but squeezed the taller boy's hand as way of comfort.

"Two weeks ago," Gokudera began. "The Moretti family began attacking the allies of the Vongola family as way of warning. One of the families they attacked was my father's family. My father was killed."

It wasn't this bit of information, but the fact that tears were flowing down Gokudera's face that shocked Tsuna. He hadn't even imagined that the Storm Guardian was capable of crying. To Tsuna, Gokudera seemed like a rock, someone who always stood up no matter how many times he was knocked down.

To see Gokudera cry strengthened Tsuna's resolve.

To see Gokudera cling to Yamamoto, to see him sobbing into the latter's shoulder, made Tsuna angry. No matter what, the Moretti family was going to pay for what they had done to his right-hand man.

**A/N: Yes, I know in the anime, Gokudera actually hates his father, but since this is an AU fanfic, I've made it so that he was actually on good terms with his father. =P**

**The other Guardians arrive in the next chapter!!**

**Chapter 2: Arrival of the Guardians**

"_AHO-SHI!!!!" Gokudera's shout of anger filled the hallways as he took off in pursuit of the Bovino toddler. Lambo turned a corner, cackling madly._

"_Aho-dera can't catch Lambo-san!" he said._

"_What are they even doing here?" Tsuna grimaced._

_Reborn appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. "You're going to need your entire family if you want to combat the Moretti's," he said._

_Tsuna sighed as Yamamoto laughed._


End file.
